Polarized dynamic relay



Dec. 31, 1940. E, KLEIN 2,227,351

POLARIZED DYNAMIC RELAY Filed July 21, 1939 Patented- Dec. 31, 1940UNITED sfrlrrrs PATENT OFFICE Presburg Application July 21, 1939, SerialNo. 285,824

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a polarized relay, a relay of the dynamic typeadapted to open and close either of two separate circuits or sets ofcircuits in diierent combinations in response to a relatively smallcurrent `transmitted from a remote point of control.

One feature of this invention is`that it provides a rela-y having anentirely dynamic action; another feature of this invention is that theapparatus is compact and capable of control by a quite small current,yet in turn able to make and break circuits having particularly highcurrents flowing therein; a still further feature of this invention isthat it is adapted to provide a relatively large movement of the mainswitch means, yet` considerable contact pressure; yet another feature ofthis invention is that only two operating connections need be made tothe relay apparatus, reversal of the direction of current flow to thesecontacts effecting the desired action of the relay apparatus; otherfeatures and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing 4specification and the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of an embodiment of my invention; Figure 2is an end elevation of the relay shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is adetailed sectional View along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is adetailed sectional view along the line 4 4 of Figure l; and Figure 5 isa schematic wiring diagram. p

While polarized relays adapted to selectively open and close either of apair of circuits have been known and used, they have heretofore had anumber of objections which a relay constructed in accordance with myinvention obviates. In general, my relay comprises a polar element, andan armature element movably mounted and operatlvely associatedtherewith; coil means on each of the elementsv for setting up magneticux therethrough to attract the armature toward or repel it from a faceof a pole ofx the polar element; and auxiliary switch means responsivet0 the direction of ux in one ofthe elements for changing theconnections of the coil means on the other element, so that when currentsupplied to the apparatus flows in one `direction the armature will beattracted to a certain pole face and when the direction of current ow tothe apparatus is reversed the armature will move away from the face.vSwitch means for controlling the circuits to be opened and clcsed ofcourse, actuated by the movable amature. In the particular embodiment ofmy invention v the pole element, between the other ends of the (ci.11s-335) -pole face I5 of the partv I3; and the other gap is therelatively small one in the lower lefthand corner (speaking with respectto Figure 1) of parts I2 and I3 thereof. The parts of the polar 5element are mounted in the desired fixed relationship by brackets,preferably of non-magnetic material.

Coils IIand I1 are mounted on the two side legs of the polar element.These coils each comprise a large number of turns of wire and they areconnected together, as may be best seen in Figure 5, in such a way thatthey aid each other in creating a strong magnetic flux in the polarelement upon the flow of a relatively small direct current through them.The direction of the flux in the polar element is, of course, a functionof the direction of flow of the direct current supplied to the coils I6and I1.

An armature element I8 is movably mounted between the pole faces I4 andI5 and adapted to move toward one pole face or the other in accordancewith the relation between the direction of ux in the armature and thatin the polar element. Magnetic flux is adapted to be created in thearmature element by coil means mounted thereon and here referred to ingeneral as I9,

. although actually this coil means comprises two coils 20 and 2|, ortwo sections of a -single medially tapped coil. The movable mounting ofthe armature is provided by making it swingable at one end about avertical pin 22 carried in the bracket 23. Light leaf springs 45 and 46,or other convenient means, may be employed to normally bias the armatureto central or neutral position.` The pivot is at a considerable distancefrom the pole'vfaces with which the armature is adapted to cooperate.The coil means I9 is, of course, y movable with the armature. 50

The outer end of the armature, beyond the polar element, carries themain switch means for opening and closing either of a pmx' of circuitsor combination of circuits. As here shown, this main switch meanscomprises a pair of con- 55 tact bars insulated from each other, andpreferably also from the armature, adapted to coopcrate with contactpoints. The contact bar 24, for example, is adapted to close a circuitthrough the wires 25 and 26 upon its engagement with the contact points21 and 28. Similarly, the other contact bar 29 is adapted to closeacircuit through the wires 3|! and 3| when it engages the contact points32 and 33.

It will be readily apparent that when the direction or the ux throughthe polar element and that through the armature element i8 bears acertain relationship the armature element will be caused to swing ormove to the right, toward the pole face i4, this movement, in theparticular construction shown, being a function of attraction by onepole and repulsion by the other and that this will cause engagement ofthe contact bar 24 with the points 21 and 28 to close the circuitthrough the wires 25 and 26. Since the contact bars of the switch meansare farther from the pivot pin 22 than the pole pieces, the movement ofthe contact bars will be greater than that of the part of the armatureadjacent the pole faces. This enables a relatively large movement of themain switch means without such a large movement of the armature adjacentthe pole'faces as to destroy the strength of the action; and the dynamicconstruction, with a large number of turns of the coils, enables a veryfirm contact pressure to be secured. If the direction of the fluxthrough one of the elements be reversed Without reversing that throughthe other the armature will at once swing to the left, operating fromthe points 21 and 28 and causing engagement of the contact bar 29 withthe points 32 and 33.

Direct current is supplied to the apparatus to eiect operation thereofthrough a two-wire circuit connected to the binding posts 34 and 35; andthe circuit includes, at some remote point where it is desired to effectcontrol, a polarity changing or reversing switch 36. This switch may beoperated manually, or in any other desired way. In the position of thereversing switch illustrated in Figure 5 the positive supply connectionwould be made to the binding post 35, andthe negative to the bindingpost 34; but when the switch is thrown the polarity of the binding postsis reversed. It is this reversal of the direction or polarity of thedirect current supplied as an actuating medium which eiecf' selection ofthe circuit which is to be closed by the main switch means heretoforedescribed.

If the various coil means were all permanently connected to the bindingposts of the apparatus, reversal of the actuating current would reversethe ux direction in both the armature and polar elements, so that therewould be no effective change. In order to secure the desired movement ofthe armature it is necessary to reverse the flux in one of the elementswithout reversing it in the other, and I will now describe the meanswhich I provide for doing this without supplementary connections orcurrents.

In the small secondary gap in the polar element is located one end ofthe permanently magnetized member 31, this member being pivotallymounted on the pin 38. Since this member is a small permanent magnet,carriage of magnetic flux in one direction'in the polar element I Iwillcause the end of the member 31 to move toward the end of the part I3;and carriage of flux in the opposite direction in the polar element willcause movement 0f the member 31 toward the face of the part I2.

The member 31 is the actuating portion of the auxiliary switch means.The member is here shown as having rigidly connected to it for movementwith it a bar 39, terminating in an end 4|! preferably of insulatingmaterial. Two pairs of arms are provided in operative relation with theend of the portion 40v,`so that movement of the end portion causes onepair or the other to come .into electrical contact. As may be best seenfrom Figures 4 and 5, movement of the portion 40 in one direction causesthe contact parts 4i and 42 to come into electrical engagement; andmovement of the portion 4|) in the other direction permits these partsto reopen and causes engagement of the similar parts 43 and 44.

As has been previously mentioned, the coil means I9 of the armaturecomprises the two electrically independent and preferably reverselywound coils 20 and 2l. As may be best seen in Figure 5, closing of thecontacts 4| and 42 connects the coil 2|! to the binding posts of theapparatus, and thus to the source of direct current; and closing of thecontacts 43 and 44 renders the coil 20 ineffective and connects the coil2| to be energized by the direct current.

To summarize the operation of the device,.it may be assumed that whenthe reversing switch 36 is in the position shown in Figure 5 the polecoils I6 and I1 are energized in such a direction that the pole face I4is a north magnetic pole; that the member 31 is pulled toward thecooperating end of the part I3, so that the contacts 43 and 44 areclosed and the coil 2| is energized; and that the coil 2| is Wound andconnected in such a direction that the end of the armature I8 adjacentthe pole faces is a. south` pole. It is apparent that this will causemovement of the armature to the right, and closure of the contacts 21and 28 by the bar 24. When the reversing switch 36 is thrown to theother position the pole face I4 immediately becomes a south pole, sincethe direction of current flow in the coils I6 and I1 is directlydependent upon the position of the switch 36. This change in polarity,however, causes the member 31 of the auxiliary switch to Aswing towardthe cooperating end of the polar part I2, so that coil 2| is renderedineffective and contacts 4| and 42 are closed to render coil 20effective to create a magnetic ux in the armature I8. Since this coil isreversely wound its connection neutralizes the reversal of the directcurrent, insofar as the armature |8-is concerned, and the end of thearmature adjacent the pole faces is still the south pole of thearmature. It is apparent that the armature will then immediately swingto the left, breaking the circuit through the wires 25 and 26 andclosing that through the wires 30 and 3|.

While I have described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to beunderstood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore,in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing fromthespirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. Relay apparatus of the character described, including: a polarelement; a movably mounted cooperating amature element; a coil'on eachof the elements; a source of direct current for energizing the coils tocreate magnetic ux in the elements; and switch means responsive to thedirection of ux through one of the elements for maintaining thedirection of iiux through the other constant upon reversal of thedirection of current flow from the source, whereby the direction of saidcurrent flow selects the position of the armature.

2. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein the directionof flux in the'polar element is determined by the direction of currentyilow from the source and the switch means is operatively associatedwith the polarelement.

3. Relay apparatus of the character described, including: a polarelement of the type having opposed pole faces and providing asubstantially closed magnetic circuit; an armature element lying betweensaid faces and movable therebetween; coil means on each of the elements;a source of direct current for energizing the coil means to createmagnetic flux in the elements: and switch means responsive to thedirection of current ow in one of the coil means for changing theconnections of the other coil means, whereby the direction of flow ofsaid direct current determines the pole face toward which the armatureelement moves.

4. Relay apparatus of the character described, including: a polarelement; a movably mounted cooperating amature element: coil meansadapted' to create magnetic flux in the elements when direct current issupplied to the apparatus; and switch means responsive to the directionof current flow in one of the coil means for changing the connections ofthe other coil means, whereby the direction of the direct currentsupplied to the relay apparatus` determines the vposition of thearmature.

5. Relay apparatus of the character described, including: a polarelement of the type having opposed pole faces and providing asubstantially 5 closed magnetic circuit; an armature element lyingbetween said faces and movable therebetween; coil means on each of theelements; a source of direct current for energizing the coil means tocreate magnetic flux in the elements; and switch means including apermanent magnet mounted in a gap in the polar element, the switch meansbeing responsive to the direction of current ilow in the coil means onthe polar element for changing the connections of the coil means on thearmature element, whereby the direction of iiow of said direct currentdetermines the pole face toward which the armature element moves.

6. Relay apparatus of the character described, including: a polarelement; a movably mounted 20 cooperating amature element; a coil oneach of the elements; a source of direct current. one of the coils beingconnected directly thereto; switch means automatically reversible uponreversal of said current; and a connection between the cur- V rentsource and the other coil including the, switch means, whereby reversalof the current reverses the flux direction in one element withoutreversing that in the other.

ENRICO KLEIN.

